Giants Celebrate Clinching NL West

One, the Nationals are trying to make Wilson Ramos their everyday starter, and Pudge is losing at-bats and playing time as a result.

Second, Pudge is a vet who could slot in with any pitching staff and, despite being 39, play great defense.

Finally, he's old and doesn't really hit anymore, and that's almost a requirement for inclusion on the Giants roster these days.

Alas, it doesn't appear as if the addition of Pudge is going to happen.

Per Buster Olney of ESPN, the Nationals called the Giants to inquire about their interest, which kind of makes Mike Rizzo, the Nats GM, like that one jerk in your fantasy league who inexplicably owns two catchers and then calls you the morning after Buster Posey goes down to offer one of them for Evan Longoria. (I hate you, Craig, so you know.)

That's about right -- if Rizzo's trying to play hardball just because he owns two catchers and the Giants are forced to roll with Eli Whiteside, well, he obviously doesn't remember who Brian Sabean's roster was built en route to a 2010 World Series.

Both Bruce Bochy and Sabean are plenty fine with sending out piles and piles of veterans and not making trades for bats, especially if the market's ugly, as it appears to be.

It wouldn't be shocking if the Giants made some move to improve their offensive production behind the plate -- Whiteside just isn't going to cut it over the course of the season -- but it sure doesn't seem like Pudge will be the guy.